Discover Hayle, Cornwall

Hayle, Cornwall, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1646_-_Hayle_Estuary_from_the_electric_works.jpg
Author: John Bennett


Hayle is a small town in western Cornwall, England. Located at the mouth of the Hayle River, which empties into St Ives Bay, it has a population of around 8,300 people (2012 estimate).

The name Hayle means "estuary" in the Cornish language. Although human habitation in this area goes back to the Bronze Age, Hayle was founded fairly recently, during the 18th century Industrial Revolution.

Hayle developed as a port for the export of ore and impore of coal. Initially it was overshadowed by nearby Angarrack, until the construction of its quay in the 1740s, which enabled it to provide full support of the rapidly growing mining industry. As a result, a copper smelter was also built in Hayle and a canal constructed to ease navigation.

In 1837, a railway line was built to connect Hayle with Redruth. Its purpose was to carry both passengers and goods. The growth of Hayle's engineering works continued until the mid-19th century, and then began a slow decline. In 1888, an explosive works was also establidhed in Hayle. Initially it supplied the mining industry, but proved useful during for the military during the First World War. The explosive works went into decline after the war, and fully ceased operations in the 1920s.

Today Hayle is a quiet town, a shadow of its former self. It has repositioned itself as a holiday destination, attracting visitors with water sports such as surfing, windsurfing and body-boarding.

Beach at Hayle: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SWCP_Lelant_Towans.jpg
Author: Geof Sheppard

Visiting Hayle

From Manchester, take the M5 motorway until it connects with the A30 road near Exeter. Head west on the A30 until you arrive at Hayle.

Places of Interest in Hayle

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.